Paradigm Shift
by Sadhya Lovelace
Summary: What if Izuku had taken what everyone said to heart? What if All Might didn't give away his quirk the way he did? What if All for One took him under his wing? I DO NOT OWN MY HERO ACADEMIA IN ANY WAY. I am putting the warnings here because I will forget for each chapter. Warnings! Suicide, Anxiety, Death, Angst, Just all the bad stuff.
1. Chapter 1

People are not born equal. That's the hard truth he learned at age four. Sadly, that would not be his only set back.

It all began in Keikei city in China with the news that a luminescent baby was born. After that, 'exceptional' individuals began popping up all over the world. The cause was unclear as time passed, and the 'exceptional' became the norm. Fantasy became reality. At present, about eighty percent of the world's population consists of super humans with special abilities. The world is in chaos and a profession that everyone once only dreamed about entered the spotlight.

Along with these abilities came an explosion in the crime rate. While nations struggled to overhaul their legal systems, some individuals took up the mantle of heroes straight out of comic books, protecting people from 'evil doers'. With public support, some quickly acquired the right to serve as heroes in an official capacity. Depending on their performance they'd have the potential to earn fame, glory, and government pay.

Inside of the classroom, Izuku Midoriya sat close to the back with his head low to his notes. It was almost the end of the year and the teacher was discussing their plans for the future.

"You guys are all third years now. It's time to start thinking seriously about your futures." He fumbled through the papers on his desk. " I would pass out these future career forms, but I assume you all want to be heroes." A cheer of agreement erupted from the class as everyone showed of their quirks. Izuku ducked his head down even lower but slightly raised his hand in agreement.

"Yes you all have wonderful quirks," the teacher waived his hand at them "but you know it's against the rules to use them in school."

"Sensei, don't lump me in with these losers!" A voice erupted from the room, just a few seats away from Midoriya. Katsuki Bakugou. He was leaning back in his seat, his legs propped on his desk

One of the students fired back at him. "Get over yourself, Katsuki!" Big mistake.

Bakugou whipped around. "Shut up! Extras should act like extras!"

"Ah, Bakugou." The teacher chimed in. "You, of course, must be aiming for UA high school." The class bursted in shocked chatter discussing the acceptance rate and how hard it was to get in.

"Ah, the stupid chattering of extras." Bakugou leapt on to his desk and started shouting. "I aced the mock exam! I'm the only one here with the stuff for UA! I'll even surpass All Might and become the best heroes out there! Not to mention I'll be one of the richest people in the world!" He was still fuming when the teacher spoke again.

"Oh. You're also going for UA, aren't you Midoriya?"Izuku slammed his face down in his arms trying to shrink into the desk. He peeked from under his tousled dark green hair, only to see the whole class looking at him incredulously before erupting into laughter.

Students in the class spoke through sobs of laughter.

"Midoriya? No way!"

"You can't get into the hero program on good grades alone!"

Izuku stood up from his desk. "That's not necessarily true!" His voice started trailing off. "Sure there's no precedent.."

"Come on, Deku!" Bakugou slammed his hand down on Izuku's desk with a small explosion that sent him stumbling. "Forget their crappy quirks." Bakugou walked up to his face. "You're totally quirkless! And you think you can rub shoulders with ME?!"

"Wa-wait no, Kacchan!" Bakugou moved closer, the anger in his eyes so intense that Izuku tried to step backward only to trip on his own feet. He scurried backwards while shouting. "I wasn't saying I could I could compete with you! Not at all!" His head hit the back of the wall and a slight look of defeat washed over him. "It's just," he looked at the floor "been my dream since I was little and well," he looked up at Kacchan "there's no harm in trying."

"Try?! Try what the entrance exam?! Your taking the exam just to try?!" One of the students yelled.

Bakugou stood over him like a looming shadow. His voice like a growl. "What can you even do."

Most people started manifesting their quirks at the age of four. When Izuku's quirk still hadn't shown, his mother decided to take him to the doctor to be checked out. This is when he found out he was quirkless.

He was crushed. All Might, the symbol of peace, was his idol. All he ever wanted was to be just like him. After that visit, he expressed to his mother he still wanted to be a hero. Instead of rooting him on, she just cried and apologized to him, saying how she wished things were different. This just broke his spirit even more.

The rest of the school day went by and Izuku had finally gathered himself. The class was dismissed and he was flipping through the news on his phone. As the rest of the class was leaving, he started packing up his things when Bakugou grabbed his notebook from his desk.

He held the book above Izuku's head. "We're not done here, Deku." Deku. It was the name he used to bully Izuku when they were growing up together. Two other boys were standing around Bakugou watching things take place as they chimed in.

"What's that, Katsuki?"

"'For my future?' Seriously, Midoriya?"

Izuku walked towards them. "Come on. Give it back!"

Bakugou slammed the book between his palms, causing a small explosion that singed the book. Izuku yelped in frustration. "The best heroes out there," Katsuki glared at Izuku "they showed signs of greatness even as students." He tossed the notebook over his shoulder and out the window. "I'll be the first and only hero from this crappy public middle school. The first to win the honor of becoming a student at UA high. Guess I'm just a perfectionist." His smirk growing as he turned to Midoriya and put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed, heating his hand until light smoke started emitting from them. "In other words, don't you dare get into UA, nerd." He removed his hand and headed for the door. Izuku stood there in defeat as he grabbed his things.

"Jeez, typical. Come on, say something." One of the other boys called back at him.

Bakugou scoffed. "He can't say anything. He's so lame as a first year, he still can't face reality." He looked back over his shoulder at Izuku, standing in the doorway. "You want to be a hero so bad? I've got a time saving idea for you. If you think you'll have a quirk in your next life, go take a swan dive off the roof!"

Izuku froze. The other boys laughed as they left. _**Is that all he thinks of me?** _Izuku thought. He sighed and walked down to get his notebook before heading home.** _Idiot. What if I really had jumped_.** He gathered his notes from the fish pond and began walking.

On his way home, he kept thinking about what Bakugou and what his mother said all those years ago. **_What if I did jump. _**He shook his head. **_No. I have to keep going._**

A voice behind him almost made Izuku jump out of his skin. "A medium sized body to hide in." He flipped around to see a large being made of what looked like sludge behind him. He turned to run but before he could get anywhere the being was on top of him. It's body was like liquid as it formed around him and entered him through his nose and mouth.

Izuku kicked and fought but none of his attempts made any progress. "Don't worry. I'm just hijacking your body. Calm down! It will only hurt for about forty five seconds. Then it will all be over."

He clawed at his own mouth.**_ I can't breathe! I can feel my body getting weak. I'm going to pass out! Is this really it? _**Izuku's visión started to blur. His lungs were on fire as they retched, trying to pull in air, only to be filled with sludge.

His vision was dark and hazy as he saw a large silhouette approach. A blast of wind blew the sludge off of him and knocked him backwards while his lungs sucked in air again. As the air filled his lungs he finally blacked out. Izuku awakened to a slight tapping on his face. He opened his eyes to see his idol, All Might, crouching over him. "Thank goodness! You're alright! Excellent!" He sat up quickly only to freeze. The number one hero was standing right in front of him!

"Apologies for getting you caught up in my villain hunt. Mistakes like that aren't my style, but this land is strange to me and besides I'm of camera!" All Might flashed a huge smile. "But my success here is all thanks to you! I've contained the villain." He flexed showing two soda bottles filled with sludge.

Izuku jumped up, searching for his notebook to get an autograph only to realize it was already signed. "Wow thank you so much!"

All Might turned and began walking away. "Now I must bring this fellow to authorities. You can catch me again on TV."

Midoriya scrambled to his feet. "Wait! Is that it?"

"A pro battles not only enemies but also time." He crouched down, preparing himself to jump away.

"Hold on! I still need to ask you,"

"Until next time!" All Might leapt with a great force, taking to the air. He felt something weighing him down. The boy had latched onto his leg! "Hey, now! Release me! Such enthusiasm is a bit much!"

"If I let go now I'll die!"

"True enough." He looked down to see the boys face flapping in the wind.

"I need to ask you so many things! You..."

"Okay! Okay! Just do me a favor and close your eyes and mouth." All Might sighed. He could feel himself reaching his limit. They landed atop a tall building in the city. Izuku released his grip on the hero's leg, his chest heaving. "Knock on the door and the people inside should let you down. I truly have no time."

"Wait! I just need to know!" Izuku scrambles to his feet. "Even without a quirk, can I still become a hero?" He balled his fist and looked up at him. "Can someone without a quirk become a hero like you?!"

At that moment All Might reached his limit. "What?!" Izuku screamed looking at the now frail man in front of him. "Are you a fake? An imposter!"

The man sat on the ground and looked up, blood dripping from his lip. "I am All Might!"

"No way!"

"You've seen the real me, kid. Don't go writing about it on the internet, okay?" The look on the boy's face was still that of pure shock. He sighed and lifted his shirt, exposing a huge cratered scar on his left side. "Five years ago, an enemy did this to me. My respiratory system was neatly destroyed and my stomach was removed. I've wasted away because of the after effects of those surgeries. I can only do hero work for about three hours a day now."

He dropped his shirt while Izuku continued to stare. "Five years ago? Was that when you fought toxic chainsaw?"

"That lowlife!" All Might scoffed. "He could never do this to me. This was never made public. I made sure of that. A symbol of peace shouldn't be able to be crippled by evil." He eyed the boy up and down. "A hero should always be ready to risk his life but not throw it away completely. Without power, can one become a hero? No, I should think not."

Izuku's face and shoulders went slack. He stared at his feet. "Oh." It was merely a mumble.

All Might began heading for the door. "If you desire to help people, becoming a police officer is always an option. They're often mocked, but that too is admirable work." He open the door and paused. "It's not wrong to dream. However, you need to be realistic." The door slammed behind him.

Toshinori began down the stairs to head to the police station. He patted his pocket only to realize its contents were missing. **_Shit. I must've dropped it while that kid was on my leg. _**He looked out the window only to see the commotion below. Heroes were fighting the villain he had dropped moments ago. He huffed down the stairs as quickly as his body would carry him.

Izuku was still in the same spot he was when All Might left him. The words echoed through his mind.

_'I'm so sorry, Izuku."_

_'You need to be realistic.'_

'_Even as a third year, he can't face reality.'_

_'It's time to start thinking seriously about your futures'_

_**Even the best of the best said it. You knew this already. It's because I knew that I tried so damn hard. So hard not to see. To ignore reality**._ Izuku clenched his fists as hot tears ran down his face. He was defeated. All Might saying it too, just made it click.

'If you think you'll have a quirk in your next life, go take a swan dive off the roof!'

He clenched his fists even tighter.**_Everyone was right. What if I did jump. _**He released the tension in his hands and walked over to the side of the building. He looked out to the horizon. The sun beating on his face. Beating him down like everything else. **_Kacchan was right. I'm useless_.** Izuku closed his eyes, tears steadily flowing as he leaned forward and fell.

Izuku Midoriya was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realize what he was literally diving head first into. Below, the sludge villain had escaped and happened upon young Bakugou, deciding he would be his next victim instead. Heroes were gathered trying to stop him, but none of their quirks were any match for him. They continued fighting, urging to save Katsuki's life.

Toshinori stood at the back of the crowd of people, clenching his wound. **_Pathetic. You waisted all that energy on that fan. Pathetic. _**He wanted to step in but he knew he had already reached his limit.

"Look!" One of the random citizens yelled pointing at the sky. Toshinori looked up only to see a figure speeding down towards the villain.

"What the hell is that?!" Another citizen yelled.

Izuku slammed into the sludge and it slowed his fall slightly before he slammed into the ground. The impact was so hard that it splattered the villain everywhere, knocking it out cold and releasing Bakugou.

Katsuki sat up disoriented, coughing to catch his breath. **_What the hell just happened. _**He glanced around only to see Izuku's mangled body lying on the ground about twenty feet away.

"Deku?" His eyes widened in shock, maybe even fear.

Izuku was still slightly conscious. Pain radiated throughout his body and it was hard to breath. He couldn't move. All his bones were broken, he was sure of it.

Katsuki jumped up as fast as he could and ran over to Izuku's body. "Deku. You idiot! What were you thinking!" Izuku tried to speak, only to make a gurgling moan as blood poured from his mouth and he went limp. Katsuki's hands reflectively covered his mouth as he sobbed. **_This is my fault._** He knelt down and carefully tried to gather Izuku in his arms. They buckled as he tried to lift him. **_I fought that sludge bastard so hard my arms are jello. Fuck._**

Toshinori saw everything. **_The kid jumped?_** He gathered everything in him to become All Might once again. He trudged over to Izuku and Katsuki, his heart feeling heavy. He placed his hand on Bakugou's shoulder. "I got this, kid."

Bakugou lifted his head to look at him, his eyes were swollen and red. "All Might?" His voice croaked. All Might squeezed his shoulder lightly as he squat down to grab Izuku. Katsuki dropped his head. "This is my fault." The words barely came out as he burst into heart wrenching sobs.

All Might gently slid his arms underneath Midoriya's body and slowly lifted him. His body made crunching sounds as he did, yet his body was completely slack. He started heading for the nearest ambulance.

**_No, kid. It's mine._**


	2. Chapter 2

**1 MONTH LATER. **

Both Katsuki and Toshinori had been in to see Izuku multiple times over the past month. They always seemed to avoid each other and Mrs. Midoriya as much as possible. Today though, Bakugou had received word at school that Izuku had woken up recently. As soon as school ended for the day, he headed straight to the hospital. He had thought of what to say over and over in his head, yet nothing seemed good enough. He had bullied Izuku for years, and for once in his life he actually felt remorse. Katsuki had always thought Izuku felt he was better than him. He now realized it was the complete opposite. He knew Bakugou was better. In fact he looked up to him. _**He admired me. And all I ever did was beat him down for it. I didn't realize how much weight my words carried.**_

His feet were dragging by the time he reached the hospital. As he approached the room, Izuku's mother, Inko Midoriya, was leaving. Usually Bakugou would try and avoid her, but he couldn't now.

"Katsuki?" She looked surprised.

"Hi, Mrs. Midoriya." He gave a small wave.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check on Izuku. How is he?"

Inko sighed. "He's been in and out. He's been awake for a little while now, but he hasn't said a word since he did." She started wringing her hands. "The doctors say his vocal chords are fine, so he can talk. He just won't. His head's mostly okay too, but he'll barely even look at anyone. He won't eat or drink anything either." Her voice broke. "I just wish I could get in touch with Hisashi. I've left a few messages so hopefully he'll reach out soon."

Bakugou tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He couldn't help but feel completely responsible. His eyes started to sting with tears. Mrs. Midoriya saw the tears forming in his eyes and put her hand on his arm. "Oh honey. It's going to be okay. What matters is that he's still here with us." He wiped his eyes with his arm and composed himself. _**She's right. **_

"Can I see him?"

Inko's eyes soften and looked almost happy. "Yes, of course! I was just heading out to get some food." She gave his arm a light squeeze and walked away.

Bakugou slowly opened the door and looked at Izuku. He was sitting up for the most part, but leaning far enough back to rest his head on the pillows behind him. The news was playing softly on the television but he wasn't paying it any attention. His head was turned mostly to the right and he stared at the wall. A long red scar stretched across his left eye. Normally, he was pretty plain looking, but there was a new roughness to him Katsuki had never seen. He ducked into the room, as if the door frame was too low. "Hey." His voice was almost a whisper. Regardless, Izuku's eyes flitted over to Bakugou. His eyes were blank and emotionless. He let out a huff of air at him, almost like a scoff and turned his gaze back to the wall. "Listen, Deku, I wanted to apologize-"

Izuku cut him off. "You were right, Katsuki." His voice was rough and low, lacking any hint of feeling, just like his eyes. Bakugou was surprised. Izuku never used his real name, even when he was upset with him. It was always Kacchan. "I'm a useless, quirkless, loser. You were right about me."

"I was wrong." His voice came out as an angry whine.

"No!" Izuku snatched his head towards him, angry to the point of hatred danced in his eyes, burning in to Bakugou so much that he physically flinched. He sat completely upright now. "You were absolutely right." His voice was a growl. "Did you know it was my fault that sludge villain got to you in the first place?"

Bakugou was confused. "What?" Izuku looked down, a flicker of his normal self shining through. "I ran into All Might on my way home that day. I was so worried about asking him whether or not I could become a hero, that I made him lose that guy. If I hadn't been such a fan boy you wouldn't have been grabbed in the first place." He ran his left hand through his disheveled green locks. "Although it's not the reason I jumped, at least I somewhat fixed my mistake by taking him out." Bakugou opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but Izuku waived his hand to dismiss him, all feeling leaving him again. "Even he said it. I'll never become a hero without a quirk. If anything I'd just die trying. I was just too caught up in my paranoid delusion of a dream to see the reality." A creepy grin spread across his face, a look of pure insanity, and he let out a small chuckle. "Poor, quirkless Izuku. He'll never be a hero. Let's just kick his ass since we're so much better than him. Better yet! Let's tell him to off himself!" He laughed and then wheezed to catch his breath. "Here's a novel idea for you, Katsuki. Get the hell out." The last part was a low growl.

Despite Izuku's anger Bakugou took a step forward. "Izuku, I'm sorry. I-"

"SORRY?!" Izuku bellowed, his anger exploded. "After all these years, you're sorry?!" He lowered his voice. "You're not sorry. You're guilty. Why? Because you were right?" He scoffed. "You win, Kacchan. I don't want to be a hero anymore." He leaned his body back, returning to the position he was in when Bakugou first entered the room.

Bakugou guffawed, his mouth hanging open. "You don't-"He clamped his mouth shut and clenched his fists. It wasn't like Izuku to ever give up. Even when Katsuki was outlandishly mean to him, he would still try to be his friend. "What about your dream?! What about All Might?!"

"FUCK ALL MIGHT!" The scream came out strained, so much pained laced into it. Immediately, Izuku broke into hacking coughs causing him to writhe in pain and gasp for air.

Bakugou took a step back, then rushed over to his bedside and in an attempt to calm him, grabbing his left hand. "Izuku, please."

He snatched his hand away. "Don't touch me!" He wheezed. Izuku pressed the nurse call button and pointed to the door. "Get out." Bakugou didn't budge as the nurse entered the room preparing an oxygen mask. "Get. Out. Katsuki." He growled. Bakugou reluctantly backed himself to the door watching as the nurse put the mask on Izuku and his body relaxed into unconsciousness. He shut the door and grit his teeth, tears stinging his eyes again. He had never felt this utterly frustrated in his life. In his frustrated state he let out a grunting roar and stomped off, passing Toshinori in the hallway.

Toshinori had heard most of the conversation and stood frozen in place. My fault. All my fault. The phrase kept repeating in his head. _**I broke his spirit. Why did I say those words? I could have just said 'Anyone can be a hero!' and left it at that. I'm such an idiot!**_ He leaned his head back against the wall with a soft thud. _**I really am pathetic.**_ He peeled himself off the wall and sulked out the door.

Across the room, an older man with glasses and grey hair sat watching. He pulled out his cell and made a call.

"Giran." A voice on the other side of the line came in sternly. "How is he?"

"Not going to lie to you, boss. He's pretty worked up. Some blond spiky haired kid royally pissed him off. Oh, and Toshi showed up."

"Interesting." He grumbled. "I'll have to handle that."

"Does that mean you're coming back?"

"No. I'm coming home."

"Yes, Hisashi."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! I apologize in advance that this will also be a short chapter but to make up for that, the next chapter is much longer in comparison. I'm also considering uploading that one early. Otherwise enjoy:)**

Halfway across the world, Hisashi sat in his office. The only light emitting from the multiple computer monitors in front of him. Papers littered the whole room but they were mostly scattered across his desk. He rummaged through them until he stumbled across his phone, noticing that there were multiple missed calls from Inko. He listened to the messages and started to seethe. Normally he had kept better tabs on his son, even from a distance, but work had been extremely busy lately with all the experiments he had been asked to oversee.

Inko's messages revealed that Izuku was in a bad state. He wasn't eating, drinking or speaking. Mr. Midoriya had sent a lackey to keep tabs on him for the rest of the day at minimum, only to find that when he finally did speak to someone, it had riled him up so badly that he slipped back into a half dead like state. Not to mention All Might was lurking around looking guilty as hell. He ran a hand through his black, disheveled locks. He quickly dialed the number on his phone, knowing that Inko would be asleep by now. "Hi, honey. I got your messages. I'll be on the next possible flight out. See you soon." Hisashi hung up and pressed both his palms on either side of the desk. He hung his head and sighed in defeat. He was worried for his son, and he only knew of one way to help.

He dialed his phone again, impatiently tapping his foot. The incessant ringing seemed to last an eternity before he heard a click on the other end.

"Master, I need a favor."

Tomura Shigaraki sat at the bar, angrily scratching at his neck. If steam could come out of his ears, it would be. "You want us to kidnap an injured kid? From a hospital?" His red eyes bored into the blank screen.

"Consider it a favor."

Shigaraki slammed his hands down on the bar, propelling himself to a standing position. "Since when do you hand out favors?!" His body was shaking from anger. Though his head and shoulders were slumped like normal, red eyes glared at the screen from under his blue gray hair.

Anger slightly tinged the man's voice. "When it interests me." The anger slipped away and a new searing coldness took its place. "Are you questioning me, Tomura?"

All tension left him and his body somehow slumped even more. "Of course not, master."

"Then lets move forward. I think the boy could be useful." There was almost a smirk to his voice. "Kurogiri."

Eyes were suddenly turned to the man who had been standing behind the bar. He was an older gentleman but you wouldn't be able to tell as his body was wrapped in a purple gas like material. The man nodded and opened a warp gate in front of the blue-gray haired man-child who stepped through.

Bakugou sat in class not really paying attention. His red eyes kept glancing back the small boys desk, careful not to show much emotion. His mind kept replaying the events of the previous afternoon is his mind.

_**'You're not sorry. You're guilty.'**_

He was right. He did feel guilty. He knew in his heart that he was the reason Izuku jumped. He mentally berated himself. _How could I say something so stupid?_

_**'I don't want to be a hero anymore.'**_

These word ripped Katsuki to his core. All Izuku had ever dreamed of was being a hero and he knew this. No matter how many times he put the boy down, he would always stand back up and keep pushing. His resolve was unbreakable. Or so he thought.

He couldn't help but remember the dead look that reflected in the green haired boy's eyes. Something had changed although Bakugou couldn't quite place his finger on exactly what it was. His spirit was still there, it had just changed somehow. Over the past month, he realized many things about his past that he had come to regret. He was supposed to be trying to become a hero, and he _broke_ his childhood best friend.

The other thing he had realized; Izuku _was_ better than him. Maybe not in ways that Bakugou normally paid attention to before, but he understood now. This made him angry unlike his regular angry persona. It made him loathe his behavior over the years. And himself. He decided he would go to see him again today. He had to talk to him about his irrational decision and try to bring him back to his senses. He owed him at least that much.

The blonde, spiky haired teen walked to the hospital the same as yesterday. Only this time, his feet carried him with determination. He would make Izuku come to his senses, even if he had to kick his ass to do it.

Katsuki walked through the double doors of the hospital, a small carry out bag in hand. He had decided on the way that picking up Izuku's favorite food as a small peace offering was probably a good idea. He remembered when they were kids that his favorite meal was katsudon and he guessed that the hospital food probably wasn't all that great.

As the elevator inched up the floor, Bakugou mulled over things he could say to try and sway Izuku back to his old self. He stepped out , still looking down in deep thought. Once he rounded the corner to the correct hallway, he looked up only to stop dead in his tracks. The once timid boy's room was surrounded by police.

Mrs. Midoriya was sobbing so heavily that she could barely catch her breath in between. Two police officers were basically the only things keeping her standing, while trying to console her. Katsuki stood frozen, red eyes ogling Inko in complete shock as his mind ran wild. The look on her face only equated to one thing in his mind.

Everything in the blonde boys hands dropped. He ran forward as fast as he could, bursting through anyone who got in his way to the room. Once inside he stopped to examine the room briefly only for his heart to sink. Everything was quiet now, the bed was empty and the sheets were thrown to the side. Small splatters of blood were on the sheets and the floor.

"Where is he?" It came out almost at a mumble but his voice broke regardless. No one answered. He knew everyone was staring at him which only angered him more. Tears started trickling down his face. He clenched his teeth and his hands simultaneously, his breathing becoming labored. The room was spinning. Izuku was gone, in what capacity he didn't know, and he was panicking.

One of the male police officers slowly walked toward the distraught boy, reaching out a hand. "Kid?"

Bakugou was shaking, both from emotion and the tightness he had been holding in his muscles. He whipped around facing everyone, face twisted in pain. "WHERE IS HE?!" His voice broke and the sound was filled with tears and pain. No one moved and he snapped. "Where is he?!" He repeated the words over and over yelling it out like he was calling for the green mop headed boy. He pulled at his hair and was gasping for air in between each word. His hands were popping dangerously close to his own head.

Two cops ran over and grabbed him, trying to calm him down and keep him from injuring himself in his panic. He kicked and thrashed, continuing to scream the words over and over. Inko briskly walked over to him. "Katsuki?" He continued screaming and writhing in the two arms trying to contain him. She placed both her hands gently on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. His red eyes met her green ones, filled with tears and incredible amounts of pain, his bottom lip quivering with each ragged breath. They were just like Izuku's. "Katsuki, you have to calm down."

He broke. Everything came crashing down and the explosive blonde child broke. Tears poured consistently now as broken sobs fell from his lips. "Where is he." He muttered one more time as he fell to his knees. His head hung low as the cries wrenched everyone's heart, including Inko's.

She kneeled down beside him and gave him a tight hug. "I don't know, honey." She whispered through her own tears. Bakugou couldn't even process what she had said through his own turmoil, but he hugged her back grabbing fistfuls of her shirt as they wept into each other's shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay guys. Here is the new chapter which is much longer in comparison to the previous two. Sadly it may be over a week before my next update. I've had a lot going on and have mostly caught up to what I've already written but I should be able to catch up relatively quickly now. Don't be too mad at me. I'm just trying to take careful steps as to where exactly I want this story to go. Thank you for all your continued support! Enjoy!**

* * *

Izuku kept fading in and out of consciousness. For the very brief periods of time that he was, he was in immense pain and couldn't move. He could barely open his eyes and when he did his vision was blurry. He remembered bits and pieces.

**_A man with black curls._**

**_A man with red eyes._**

**_And a man who seemed to have no face at all._**

When his eyes finally fluttered open for good, the pain was gone but his body was stiff. His mind was abnormally clear but racing more so than it ever had as he tried to take in his surroundings. The room was all white and silent, the only sound being the monitors next to him. This was not his hospital room. His senses were overloading. He slowly lifted himself into an upright position, his muscles not letting him sit up any faster. His head was spinning, swimming.

"Good you're awake."

The deep voice startled him as it slashed though the deafening silence of the room. He turned his head to see a tall, broad shouldered man, dressed in a suit, a intricate black mask covering his face and neck, leaning against one of the walls. His brain exploded into thought trying to decipher what was happening. It added onto his already furrowing headache from the bright lights of the room.

"Who are you?" The words came out like gravel. His throat was dried out. His emerald eyes squinting as he tried to focus, the blurry vision still plaguing him.

The man walked forward to the side of his makeshift hospital bed. "That is not of importance at this time, my boy." His tone had softness to it, but there was also a strength behind that as well. Normally Izuku would be scared shitless, but he was void of almost all emotion. He didn't think he had the capacity to feel anything like that right now. "What's important, however, is that I want to help you."

His vision focused on the man standing next to him. He squinted again, this time in disbelief. "Why would you want to help me?" His mind ran a thousand miles a second, different scenarios flying through his mind of why this man he didn't know would help a nobody like him. He was used to his mind continuously running but nothing had even felt so clear and precise like this.

"Think of it more like a proposal. I have something you want and you help me out in return. I've already helped you out a little with that little boost in your head. " Izuku's mind propelled itself at breakneck speeds now. _Is this why my mind is so clear? What could he have that I want? What does he want from me?_ "I can give you a quirk." The world froze. He felt his heart squeeze. A flame that had previously been extinguished at his core, grew to that of a pilot light. He felt an emotion for the first time in months. **_Hope._**

He stared at the man with wide eyes, not daring to speak. "I figured that might interest you." Humor nipped at the man's words. "You'll have to prove yourself useful to me first." He pulled a small piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to the boy. "You'll meet here everyday, to train your body up. You can't get into UA for me in that shape." A wave of surprise hit him again. His mind was drowning in the new information. This man was offering him almost everything he had ever wanted. How could he say no?

"Do we have a deal?"

"Absolutely."

They man smiled at him as they shook hands. "Now, let's get you home." The large man waived his hand in front of Izuku's face and suddenly he felt extremely exhausted. He started leaning backwards as his vision quickly faded to black.

* * *

Izuku had been missing for a week when he mysteriously turned back up in his hospital bed unconscious, like he was before he left which baffled anyone involved in his life. The doctors were also astounded by the fact that he was completely healed yet didn't rouse for another week following his return.

When he woke, he was surprised to see his father, passed out in the chair beside his mother. His black curls covering his eyes. He hadn't seen the man in over a year, but it tugged at his heart just a little to know he was here.

"What the-" His voice was still a croak. He needed water.

Inko rose gently until her eyes locked with he curly headed son's. "IZUKU!" Her shout nearly made Hisashi jump out of his chair as she ran across the room and enveloped him in a bear hug.

"Hi, mom." He rasped as he tightly returned his mother's hug, petting her hair as she softly sobbed into his chest. His eyes met his father's hazel ones, who softly smiled at the sight of them.

The next day was filled with people in and out. The doctors were in shock that Izuku could move around like normal and didn't seem to need physical therapy as they were sure his muscles should have atrophied at least a little. They did recommend that he do some at home exercises to build up his strength. He even passed the mental health examination with flying colors. They had no reason to hold him and were planning to release him that afternoon.

The police came by to ask him questions about his recent disappearance and his fall from the building. "Do you remember anything from the past few months?" The detective by the name of Tsukauchi stood at the end of his bed looking puzzled.

Green curls bounced back and forth as the boy shook his head. "Not much, really." He tried to keep his demeanor like that of his old self as best he could. His mind had showed him exactly how to play things and to his surprise he had great control.

The detective sighed lightly. "I know the doctors said you may have slight bouts of memory loss, but do you think you could walk us through the events that you can remember?"

"Well," Izuku stared at his hands pretending to be in thought. He remembered everything but knew exactly what details he wanted to slip through. "I remember most of the day I fell. I was at school and got into an argument with one of my friends, Kacchan." Internally, he was screaming. Katsuki was obviously never his friend. "We grew up together, but once he got a quirk and I didn't, our relationship dynamic changed. He picked on me a lot because I still wanted to be a hero despite not having a quirk. So we fight about it a lot." This was all true, although he didn't let on to how bad the fights were or how much he hated Bakugou. "After that I was walking home from school when I was attacked by that sludge guy. Lucky for me, the number one hero showed up and saved me."

"All Might?" The detective questioned.

Izuku nodded his head. He didn't want to hear that man's name. He collected himself quickly before he could scowl. "Yeah, he's my favorite hero-" _was_ "so I stopped him afterwards to get an autograph and to try to talk to him. I wasn't trying to bother him, I just wanted to know if he thought it was possible for me to still be a hero even if I was quirkless. I ended up making him drop the guy. He left shortly after and I heard something below in between the buildings. When I looked over the side of the building at the commotion, I slipped. My curiosity got the better of me." Now most of this was a lie, but he said it with enough conviction that the detective seemed to accept his words.

The man's face softened now. Izuku's brain now studied him. He was older, most people would miss it, but he had fine wrinkles. The majority of them placed in between his eyebrows and at the corners of his mouth. He could tell this man had seen a lot in his days. "Then what?"

He ran a hand through his curls pausing at the back of his neck. His acting was so perfect, it even scared him a bit. "I don't remember much else before I woke up last night. I do remember waking up once here, when Kacchan visited. I was still pretty upset about the fight we had and passed out again as he left. After that it's really just a blank." He couldn't tell them even if he wanted to. He couldn't risk his one chance at a quirk.

Izuku scanned the faces in the room. His mother was upset, as she should be, but mostly happy in the fact that her son was okay. Hisashi was a different story. His face was contorted and somehow expressed multiple emotions. Either that or Izuku could notice it now. There was obviously fear but way more than expected considering he was okay. The part that confused him most was what seemed to be guilt. His father was _hiding_ something. His mind was reeling at the revelation but decided to avert his gaze back to the detective.

His face was an obvious twist of confusion. Izuku watched as he could almost literally see all the different scenarios and reasonings fly through Mr. Tsukauchi's head. He was obviously confused as to why someone would kidnap a child just to return him in perfect health. His face softened into a smile but the green haired teen wasn't stupid. He knew this wouldn't be something the man dropped so easily.

"You sure are one lucky kid. Whoever took you, could have easily killed you in your state, but felt the need to help you instead. I'm sure your parents are grateful." The man shrugged slightly in humor as his smile got bigger. "It's certainly a mystery but we'll chalk it up to a Good Samaritan for now." Izuku could see his father slightly relax at the words but he knew better.

"Well, young man." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a card, handing it to Izuku. "If you remember anything or something comes up, please don't hesitate to call me." The man bowed to him and then his parents before leaving the room.

Not long after, he was being released. His parents had left to give him some privacy to get dressed. His mom had brought his favorite green sweats from home. If he could have smiled, he would have. Despite everything that had happened, he still held a soft spot for the short green haired woman. He didn't necessarily like keeping things from her, but if it meant keeping her safe and him also getting what he wanted, he could. He realized this may make him seem short sighted, even to himself, but with his brain firing on all cylinders he could see all the possible potential.

Things with his father though, had been a bit awkward at times. Izuku hadn't seen the man in over ten years, around the same time he had found out he was quirkless. He had always wondered if he was the reason Hisashi hadn't come back in all this time. Finding out his only son was born a failure probably caused him to resent the boy. Or at least that's the reason that plagued his mind. Waking up to him sitting next to his mother was a complete shock. He wouldn't admit it, but it felt like the man still cared. Yet, there was a lot about his father he just didn't know.

He had almost finished packing the last bit of his things when someone knocked lightly at the door. He slipped on his shirt and began walking around the curtain draped around the bed. "Hey, mom I'm ready- oh, it's you." The last words lacked any emotion. The mask fell.

The sickly, skeletal frame of Toshinori stood in the door frame. "I- I didn't realize you were being released."

"You shouldn't be here." Voice still flat, he eyed the number one hero. The man was obviously shocked. He and Katsuki were the only two who had even a sliver of inclination of what actually transpired two months ago. "In fact, why are you here?" A small amount of anger slipped through his words but it had more of an effect than he planned. Toshi immediately became visibly more uncomfortable than he already was.

"I came to apologize. What I said-"

Izuku raised a hand, visibly cutting him off. "No need, _All Might_." His name was drenched with pure hatred.

"But you-" He was cut off again.

"I fell." The flat tone returned but his eyes still had that fire in them that made Yagi Toshinori want to advert his gaze. "That's what I told the police." A smirk graced the boy's face for only a sliver of a moment and Toshinori didn't catch it. He was toying with the man, and it was exhilarating.

Toshi opened and closed his mouth in shock. He was speechless. Izuku has to internally suppress a laugh. _How did this man ever become the number one hero?_ He walked toward the blonde coward and continued. "As for what you said? It doesn't matter." He stopped at his side, facing the exit, leaning as close to the man's ear as he could manage and whispered. "Because I intend to prove you wrong." And with that walked out the door.

* * *

The car ride home was extremely quiet. The tension was thick enough to cut and Izuku was tired of thinking. "Hey, mom?" He made sure his voice was quiet, as to not disrupt the atmosphere to harshly.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Her voice was soft and full of care making the boy relax only just slightly.

"I want to get a haircut." He stared at his hands fumbling with his fingers. He only had to pretend a little, Inko still brought out his soft side.

"Are you sure? I thought you loved your curls." He looked up and his emerald eyes met hers.

"I- I do." He waved his hands back and forth before folding them and looking down again. " I just want a fresh start. After everything."

The green eyes in the mirror softened from their slight shock. "Okay." A small smile graced her lips.

"Can Dad take me?" _Dad. Ugh._

Hisashi and Inko exchanged a look before he turned to his son. "That sounds like a great idea."

* * *

Once they arrived at the apartment, Izuku dropped his bag in his room and hugged his mom before hopping in the passenger seat. Hisashi slowly took off toward the city.

With his mother at home, his soft demeanor was gone. He had questions and they needed to be answered. "Why are you here?" His gaze never adverting from the window. The question sounded more like a statement. It was still enough to throw Hisashi off kilter. Izuku could hear his old man's hands slightly grip the steering wheel in angst. He had to have known this conversation was coming.

His father let out a long sigh. "Your my son, Zu." The childhood nickname made Izuku's insides twist and anger bubbled in the back of his throat. It was a name only his father had ever used, and not something he had heard in a long time. Tears stung at the corners of his eyes. It took everything within him to push it all down. He would not show weakness. Not right now.

"I know you may not believe me, but every second that I've been away, all I've thought about was you and your mother. You have no idea how badly I just wanted to come home." The eldest Midoriya's voice waivered.

This caused Izuku to take a glimpse of his father from the corner of his eye. The man's grip had somehow gotten even tighter, knuckles white, and his breath was shaky. He wasn't sure if he wanted to believe him, but he knew in his heart and his mind that what his father said was true. His mind raced trying to find any inkling of deceit, but he couldn't work out one. His anger rose again. "Then why didn't you?" His voice cracked. _Damn it._

"I couldn't!" Hisashi wasn't loud but he pushed the words out like he couldn't breathe. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself.

Izuku took the chance to cut in. "Did you leave because I was quirkless?" His voice betrayed him, not hiding the pain he felt to finally say the words out loud.

"Yes and no." His breath hitched. "I made a choice, and it wasn't a good one. I decided to continue my research on quirks, and took help from some questionable people. I didn't expect to be over there for more than two years. Then I found myself stuck. The work was never ending and when I tried to request personal time, I was either blown off or more work would pile on. When I found out you were hurt I-" His father's voice broke and the words caught in his throat. "I had to swallow my pride and I said I was coming back no matter what."

Izuku knew what his father had meant. The man had begged, which was something he rarely did. "I was able to come back, although my boss had ulterior motives. I still have to continue my work, but at least I'm here." He glanced over and gave his son a small smile.

Young Midoriya's mind was reeling with all the new information. He knew the man wasn't telling him everything but he couldn't quite process what he was missing. He knew what he was trying to say though. "You're staying?"

"I'm staying."

Izuku turned his gaze back to the window as a few silent tears slid down his cheeks.

The remainder of the ride was silent until they reached the Tokoya. The hair cut was simple enough. He left most of his curls on top but shortened the sides down where they barely grazed his ears. It didn't take long, maybe twenty minutes and Izuku was slightly excited to see it.

The riyoshi handed him a mirror and smiled. "Here you go, sweetie" Her tone was soft and in that moment Izuku felt light, until he looked in the mirror.

The haircut itself was great. She had done an excellent job, but this was the first time Izuku had seen himself in months. For once his mind was quiet as he stared at the scar stretched across his face. It was light pink and started at his temple, dragged at a slight angle across his left eye, and then darted across the bridge of his nose. He absent mindedly lifted his hand to his face and grazed where it met his cheek with his fingertips. He was pulled out of his thoughts when the woman spoke

"Look okay?"

"Oh, um yes. It looks great." He handed her back the mirror, his hand still resting on his face. Izuku didn't move. He felt frozen in place. His mind replaying the fall over and over. How his head and face smacked and then dragged across the pavement. His arms instinctively trying to break his fall, only to be crushed underneath him. How the sludge villain's wet body warped around him as he crashed through him slowing his fall just enough to keep him alive. The feeling of slime giving his skin a chill only to be replaced immediately by excruciating pain. Kacchan's horrified face as he tried to speak, then drowning on his own blood. How the wind bristled his skin all the way down, the feel almost freeing until his eyes opened and he was filled with fear. How he heard the cracks as his bones snapped beneath him.

Hisashi had just finished paying the girl when he noticed his son's petrified state. The boy's hand still gently touching his face, eyes wide in shock, mouth slightly agape.

"Zu?" No response.

As he approached, he noticed his green headed boy trembling, breathing heavily, sweat beading on his forehead. Hisashi lightly placed his hand on his shoulder and gave a soft squeeze. "Izuku?"

Izuku jumped out of his thoughts and quickly tried to catch his breath. The oldest Midoriya gestured his head to the door, to which Izuku nodded. As the boy stood, his father wrapped an arm around his shoulder and ushered him to the car.

This trip was even quieter than the previous ones when Hisashi spoke. "Are you ever going to tell us what really happened?"

Izuku was staring out the window, cheek in palm. He didn't budge but spoke flatly. "Maybe.. One day." He paused for a moment before slightly tilting his head back. "Are you ever going to tell me and mom everything."

"Maybe, one day."


	5. Chapter 5

**I want to apologize for how long it has been since my last update. This chapter was a difficult one for me and honestly I can't wait until we get to the good stuff. I had planned on making this chapter MUCH longer but I realized it had been almost a month and decided to just split it up. Bakugou's thought process was hard to map out since in canon he's just an ass because of bullshit reasons so I made sure I came up with why he is the way he is and how I wanted his character to develop. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter and I will definitely try to make the wait for the next chapter LESS than a month. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Inko fawned over her son as soon as he stepped through the door. She gushed over his hair cause him to mumble small 'thank yous' as he headed to his room. His skin was itchy and after all it had been almost two months since he had a proper bath.

He grabbed some pajamas and headed for the bathroom. He set them on the counter and started running the water. Stripping off his shirt he caught a glance of himself in the mirror. He had been oblivious to the marks littering his skin. Maybe he had been subconsciously ignoring them until now.

Izuku stared at his small frame in the mirror. Most of the scars were small,scratches really, the majority of them on his left side where he landed. There were three scars that stood out. The first of course was across his face. Next was his left arm and wrist. The thick pink of the scar where his palm and wrist connected, and stretched almost perfectly straight stopping midway up his forearm. Last was a huge jagged split on his back vertically over his shoulder blade.

His fingers grazed over each one and his cruel mind replayed how each one was individually made. Only this time he wasn't paralyzed. The feeling he felt now was almost akin to pleasure. Honestly, it was nice for him to feel something other than anger all the time. Even when he had that talk with his father, it was only anger or pain. _I wonder if this is how Kacchan feels all the time. _

The thought startled him and rage boiled over from within. _Why do I keep thinking of that ASSHOLE. _Instinctively Izuku's fist shot out and punched the mirror. There was a crunch and then soft pings as shards of glass hit the porcelain sink. He kept his hand in place panting heavily. His other hand gripped the side of the sink for balance. The blood rushing in his ears, thumping with each heartbeat.

"Izuku, sweetheart, are you okay?"

The concern in his mother's voice ripped him back to reality. He could tell by the volume of her voice that she was right outside the door. All senses rushed back to him and the sound of water rushing flooded his ears. "Shit." Izuku mumbled under his breath as he darted to cut the water off before it overflowed. "Yeah, mom, I'm fine. I accidentally broke the mirror though." He knew she was going to find it either way and there was no way he could replace it without anyone knowing.

"Can I come in?"

Izuku let out a huff. _Might as well. _Reluctantly he reached for the door handle and slowly pulled it open. The small gasp his mother let out made him wince slightly. "Oh, Izu-" She cut herself off, grabbing his hand and examining it. "What happened?" Her emerald eyes darted up to meet his.

He gave her a sheepish grin and shrugged. "I tripped." He lied.

The look Inko Midoriya gave her son could best be described as irritated disbelief. She flipped his hand over in hers gently, assessing the damage. "Let me grab the first aid kit." She shuffled out of the room.

Izuku lifted himself to sit on the counter, legs slightly swinging over the side. He slid deep in thought again. _A lot has changed, huh. _He looked over his hand. There wasn't much blood but it left him fascinated. He poked and prodded the small wounds, light pain shooting through his knuckles. Again, it was almost pleasurable. He kept fiddling with it until he heard his mother approaching.

She reentered the bathroom and stood in front of her son pulling his hand from him. She carefully pulled the small shards of glass from his knuckles and deposited them on the counter. While she was trying to concentrate on his hand, she couldn't help but give him a once over now that she had calmed down.

Izuku noticed her eyes lingering over the scars sprawled across his chest, at which he scowled. She could never hide the concern on her face, especially not from him. It made his heart ache. He knew she would never not worry, she was his mother after all, but it still pained him to see her that way. His mother was the only woman- no. _Person_\- that he cared for. She was the only one to love, care and support him. Not his classmates. Not his teachers. Not Kacchan. Not even his father. She was there when no one else was. She was his entire _world_, the only thing that truly mattered.

Izuku also knew he had changed, and was continuing to change. He was not the same bubbly, nervous, meek child he used to be. This whole experience changed everything, in some ways he didn't quite understand yet. His mother would notice these changes, maybe a part of her already had. But, he wanted to make sure he understood. Make sure she wasn't blindsided, or worried more than normal. His mind grasped at words hanging in the air, trying to find the right ones.

Still concentrating on bandaging his hand, Inko spoke. "Izuku, I know you know this.. but if you ever need to talk-"

"Mom?" He cut in. His voice meek like when he was a child.

Inko raised her eyes to meet her son's. They were sad, but at least resembling some kind of emotion. She stared intently into them, waiting for the response to follow.

"I- I.." He looked to side before closing his eyes, and sighed deeply. He met her gaze and spoke again. "I want you to know that I love you."

She softened. "Izuku, sweetie, of course I know that."

A breath of relief escaped his lips. "I know you do. I just- I need to tell you even if I don't want to talk about it. I know you worry, and if I can lessen that even a little bit, then it's all worth it." His eyes searched hers for understanding. "These past couple months have changed everything. I've changed. And I'm not sure what all that entails just yet, but I wanted to let you know. I'm going to need space, and I'm going to need to do things to help myself that may not lessen your worries, but I need you to trust me enough to let me make these decisions for myself."

She had finished bandaging his hand now and held it gently in hers. With a soft smile and tears stinging at the corners of her eyes, she looked at him. "I understand. I trust you."

Izuku watched as small, silent tears slid down his mother's face. "Mom-"

"My baby is growing up." She cupped both of his cheeks in her hands and let out a wet chuckle at the silly smile that slipped on his face. He grabbed at her wrists and nestled his face into her hands before he gently rested his forehead on her shoulder. She pet his hair and rested her cheek on his head. They stayed that way for what felt like hours.

Izuku did not sleep much that night. While finally being clean felt amazing, it didn't do much in aiding him to relax. He finished catching up on school work within an hour and spent the next three hours on his computer doing research. He pulled the slip of paper with the address on it out of his hospital bag and tapped away at his keyboard looking at the building in the maps. It seemed to be some kind of rundown gym.

**_Ding_**

An email pinged and piqued his interest. There was no known sender and the email itself was encrypted. It didn't take long for him to figure out and soon simple text was scrawled across the screen.

The only thing that it listed was a locker number and stated to arrive early the next morning. That was going to be tough. His mother wasn't going to like that, and he could care less what his father thought. Izuku glanced at the clock. It was nearly four in the morning. Even if he went to sleep now, he could only get two hours if he was lucky. He sighed and decided he wasn't getting any sleep.

He flipped the switch on his computer, effectively turning it off. He ran a hand through his hair. Sleep would have been nice. At least then he wouldn't have to think so much. He glanced around the room at all the All Might memorabilia. A place of comfort had become so foreign to him now. He stood from his desk and dug around in his closet until he found one of the large boxes folded in the corner. He carefully unfolded it and placed it on the floor.

The green haired teen began carefully removing all the posters from the walls. He may have hated All Might, but he could still give his things away to someone who wanted them. Packing away all the items took about an hour. After which, Izuku's room was pretty bare but at least it felt more like home. He closed up the box and set it on his bed. He would probably take it off to be donated later.

He took a seat on the edge of his bed next to the bed. His mom would be up within the hour. He dug through his clothes and decided on his dark green track suit. Choosing was difficult. Most of his clothes didn't accurately portray his tastes anymore. He gathered his clothes and headed for the shower.

The shower wasn't as relaxing as he would have hoped. While it brightened him up a bit, it was also a place for thought, which was something he had actively been trying to avoid. The thoughts in his mind had almost passed him in a blur. He wondered whether or not his mom would be okay with this. She had to be, and he had a feeling she would relent anyway after their conversation last night. Alternatively, he also thought about what today would hold. Would he get his quirk today? He doubted it, but his heart still fluttered at the thought. He knew this arrangement would be them mutually using each other but the details were unclear as of yet. Izuku did know he wanted him to get into UA so he assumed his usefulness was at least partial to that. A quirk was everything to him, so he would do just about anything for that.

After his encounter with All Might, he had started to realize a lot of heroes were in the profession for the wrong reasons. They wanted money and fame. Izuku, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to save others but now he had realized that some people were beyond saving. That made things complicated.

He could hear his mother in the kitchen as he left the bathroom. As he entered the living area, his father was still asleep sprawled across the couch. A blanket was loosely draped across him and his glasses were neatly folded on the table in front of him. The man may have been Where Izuku got his smarts from but he sure looked like an idiot sometimes.

He had to suppress a smirk as he entered the kitchen. "Good morning." His voice came out much more upbeat than he felt. He flashed a bright smile at his mother who was slightly startled at her sons presence.

"Oh! Good morning, sweetie." She returned his smile. She hadn't seen it in so long.

"I see Dad is still passed out." He let out a breath almost resembling a chuckle.

Inko stretched a small smile. "I think he had trouble sleeping last night. Here." She handed him a bowl of rice and placed a fried egg on top. She grabbed her own bowl and nodded at Izuku to sit at the table.

They sat across from each other, Izuku crossing his legs. He lifted his chopsticks and picked at his food. He was starving but he was also weary of what he had to ask his mother. "I need to talk to you about something."

She lifted her head in response and made a soft humming sound letting him know to continue. "Do you remember what the doctors said about me doing workouts?"

Inko nodded as she swallowed a mouthful of rice. "I do." Her voice was soft but her eyes were questioning.

The green haired teen stared at her intently trying to gauge her expression. "Well, I was thinking about going to a gym." The first sentence came out smoothly but the rest was Izuku muttering like his normal self. Luckily, Inko was so used to this that she could understand him. "I found one in the city. It's an hour train ride away but the specialize in helping people without quirks. It's a little run down but the fee is pretty cheap and I-" He took a second to catch his breath. "I was wondering if I could go. Today." He searched her face waiting for a reply.

"Today?" She placed her chopsticks down. "Mitsuki and Katsuki were going to stop by today. Can't you go tomorrow?"

Izuku sighed and let his face fall. "It was just really important to me. And honestly-" he took a shaky breath and looked at her pleadingly. "I- I don't really want to see anyone. Especially _Kacchan._" The name came out with more disgust than he had intended.

His mother raised an eyebrow but Izuku hung his head. He knew she was looking at him, but he couldn't meet her gaze. A soft sigh escaped her lips. "Is this what you really want to do?"

He didn't lift his head but Izuku nodded furiously. This was all he wanted at the moment. "Then who am I to say no?" His head whipped up at that. A soft smile graced Inko's lips. She saw as a light of excitement danced in his eyes. This is what he needed. She was startled when he all but threw himself across the table and wrapped his arms around her. She chuckled softly and patted his head. He released her and began scarfing down his food, the smile never leaving his face.

He finished quickly and placed his bowl in the sink. He had already given his mom the address, in hopes it would calm her nerves. He threw on his favorite red sneakers and started toward the door. His mother not far behind him. "Be careful, Izu." She mused.

"Of course!" He flashed a smile at her. "Oh! There's a box on my bed. If Katsuki wants it he can have it. There's a lot of memorabilia in it." He paused before enveloping his mother in another huge hug. "Thanks, mom." He murmured into her shoulder before racing out the door.

The train ride wasn't too long but the street nearing the address was pretty sketchy. Izuku wasn't phased but he still stayed cautious. The building was even more run down than the pictures online had suggested. He didn't mind, however.

Inside the gym was some equipment, nothing too fancy, and a burly older man at a counter. He seemed disinterested but still greeted him upon his entry. "Hello, young man. What can I do for you." His voice was just as deep as his look had suggested.

The mop head kept his new cold disposition. He stood with shoulders back, and a blank face as he approached the counter. He spoke low and his voice sounded much older than he was in the moment. "I'm here for locker number two thirteen."

The man's eyes widened a little before he grabbed an orange key and handed it over. He nodded and thumbed in the direction of the locker rooms. They were empty, and it didn't take long for him to find the locker in question. The only thing inside was a small black phone. _A phone? _He grabbed it and flipped it in his palm. The screen lit up and showed a text notification. He swiped at it until the screen popped up. There was a phone number along with instructions for him to leave his phone and any belongings in the locker. He obliged and then made the call. As soon as it rang, purple gas swirled in front of him. It slowly formed into a portal which Izuku quickly stepped through.

Once inside, he saw two figures in front of him, only one of which he recognized. The other had scraggly light blue hair and a disembodied hand covering his face.

The tall man in the black mask spoke first.

"Welcome, my child."

* * *

Katsuki Bakugou was not a idiot. He knew something wasn't right. Just like, regardless of his lack of communication, his mother knew something was going on with him. Ever since Izuku's accident, he had been more of an emotional disaster than usual. And then the boy went missing from the hospital and he lost his damn mind.

Mitsuki had tried to coax him into talking to someone but with both of their hot headed-ness, that only ended in shouting and a scorched table. She had known he would refuse. He'd never been too keen on emotions other than anger but to be fair, he got that from her. She had half a mind to force him to go, although, she didn't really want to take on that battle yet.

The spiky blonde teen had slightly calmed when news that Izuku had reappeared in the hospital had reached him. He had tried to visit since then but Inko had insisted to his mother that he needed some space. Izuku had always been a people person, so if he needed space, something was extremely wrong.

Bakugou had to talk to that damn nerd. Last time they spoke, he said he no longer wanted to be a hero. While being quirkless was basically a death sentence for someone's dreams of being a hero, knowing Izuku, it was odd for him to give up so easily. _He had never given up on his friendship with me, no matter how hard I pushed him away. So why this? Why would he give up on this? Why didn't he give up on me?_ The thoughts echoed in his mind, torturing him. He thought back to their conversation.

**_'You're not sorry. You're guilty.'_**

_Maybe he has given up on me. _

As they approached the apartment, his stomach turned. What would he even say? He had thought about it, but couldn't come up with anything that felt good enough. When it came to his feelings, Izuku always seemed to be able to draw them out. And he _hated _it. _Who does he think he is, making me feel shit. _He had never really been in touch with his feelings -besides anger- so the fact that the nerd could pull on them so easily, as if not even meaning to, was highly irritating. It made him feel weak.

His mother rapping on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. A knot formed in his chest. Some part of him hoped that Izuku answered the door. At least then he would know he was okay. When Inko came into view, the knot dropped to a pit in his stomach. She nodded them both inside.

"I brought cookies, I thought they'd go perfect with tea." Mitsuki smiled at Inko.

"I'll put the tea on." Her soft smile returning her friends.

Bakugou's eyes quickly darted around the room. Izuku was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was in his room?

Mitsuki beat him to the punch. "Where's Izuku?" The words were filled with concern.

Inko had already exited the kitchen, a tray with cups and the tea pot in her hands. He cheeks flushed. What was she embarrassed for?

She spoke as she walked to the table and set the tray down. "He's, uh, not here." Both Bakugous raised an eyebrow as she motioned them to sit. Once seated she continued. "The doctors had recommended he do some exercises to build up his strength, since he doesn't _need _physical therapy."

"What do you mean he _doesn't need_ physical therapy?" Mitsuki's voice was a bit rough this time causing Inko cheeks to flush even more. She could barely keep eye contact with her friend. "I thought he broke damn near every bone in his body." Katsuki winced. He knew how bad it had been but hearing it. Hearing it was different. Hearing it made the guilt bubble up in his chest. It had been his fault after all. "Inko. What happened."

He stiffened. The blush that was previously splayed across Inko's face was gone, her expression somber. Katsuki hadn't taken into consideration what she might know. Had Izuku told her everything? He was frozen, guilt gnawing at his insides. Tears pricked at his eyes and small explosions threatened to pop at his palms. It took everything he had to keep himself calm, digging his fingernails into his hands.

The Bakugou matriarch was about to retract her statement when Inko spoke. "To be honest, I don't much." An exasperated sigh slipped through her lips. She told them what Izuku had told the police, how he had suddenly disappeared, only to return in near perfect health. How Hisashi, _the damn bastard, _had finally come home and that Izuku had changed.

The spiky blonde finally spoke, only slightly more relaxed than before. "Changed how?" His voice was a low growl and his mother side eyed him. His face twisted almost resembling disgust. He was confused. He hadn't told the police it was his fault. _Why is he still protecting me? _The anger mixed with his guilt, and he was sure he would end up losing the contents on his stomach.

She gave him a small smile. "It's small things." She stared into her tea, her voice barely above a whisper. "He hasn't smiled much, and when he does it doesn't seem genuine. His eyes-" her breath shuddered. "They're blank. Void of emotion. He seems distant and cold. The happiest I've seen him in months was when he asked to do his exercises at a gym this morning. How could I say no?" This time a full blown sob echoed in her words. In no time, Mitsuki had wrapped her arms around the small green haired woman.

For Katsuki, the room was spinning. He felt like he couldn't breathe. Air went in and out of his lungs but it's like it wasn't enough. His hands gripped the table tensely, explosions threatening to rip from his hands. He tried to calm his breaths, he didn't want them to worry for him, but he couldn't stop it. He was going to lose control.

His muscles screamed at him as he tore himself from the table. He muttered a barely audible 'excuse me' as he stalked, fists clenched, as quickly as possible to the bathroom. He closed the door and removed his shirt. He sat on the floor and wrapped his hand around his waist, palms pressed firmly in his sides. He let loose. Small explosions popping and burning his skin. It was unpleasant, but it was better than destroying Auntie's house and causing her even more grief. Besides, didn't he kind of deserve it? He could only imagine how much De- Izuku had hurt. This was nothing in comparison. His breathing was ragged as he tried his best to calm down. Tears pricked at his eyes. _Damn nerd isn't even here and he still has me wrapped in these FUCKING FEELINGS. _

He gripped his sides tighter, the popping finally stopped. It would be much easier and less painful if he could just let out one monstrous blast and maybe scream a bit. He couldn't do that in the house though, or even out in the street. So this was how he handled it. Usually he had great control over his quirk, but when his emotions got the best of him, that control started deteriorating. So he pushed his emotions away, but for some reason, Izuku would always seem to bring them to the surface. Then his control would slip, just like it was now.

Katsuki stood and slipped his shirt back over his head. He splashed water on his face and headed back.

"It's rude to run out in the middle of a conversation like that, brat." Mitsuki had a scowl on her face and an eyebrow raised. "Something bothering you?"

"I'm fine, you old hag. Can't a guy take a piss?" Katsuki's voice was a grumble, hardly filled with any of his usual malice.

"I almost forgot!" Inko's happy voice chimed in. "Katsuki, Izuku did say he left a box on his bed for you before he left this morning."

The teen's heart leapt into his throat. He had left something for him? _Maybe he doesn't hate me after all. _"Can I-" he choked on his words.

Inko gave him a smile. "Of course!"

Katsuki headed for Izuku's room, vaguely hearing the two mothers discussing their husbands. He paused at the door, hand hovering above the handle. He hadn't been in his room since they were kids, and going in without him there felt like an invasion of his privacy. He knew Inko had said it was alright, but something rooted deep inside him felt uneasy. He sucked in a breath and pushed through the twist in just gut, opening the door.

The room was nothing like he remembered. It added to his uneasiness. Most of the furniture was the same, and it was oddly clean, but it felt so empty. The bed that used to be covered in the reds, blues and yellows of All Might was now draped in a dark, dull green and black. None of the previous posters and pictures hung from the walls. The desk that sat opposite the bed was bare other than the old desktop that sat there. The shelf on the wall had a few books on it, but there was a dark spot where he guessed books had previously sat. The most unsettling thing, other than the fact that the room was empty other than the essentials, was that the room smelled uncharacteristically like a hospital. Odors of antiseptic and bleach overwhelming him.

The large box that sat at the end of the bed did nothing to calm his nerves. It was the only thing that could even remotely be considered clutter in the mostly vacant room. He stalked over to the bed and debated whether or not he should sit. He gave a small awkward chuckle. If his mother saw him being so timid she would wonder what was wrong with him.

Katsuki sat on the very edge of the bed, the movement causing the light perfume of Izuku's laundry soap seeping into his senses. He relaxed slightly at the familiar smell. His hands fumbled opening the box. He could tell by the way it shifted that it was a bit heavy, peering inside once the flaps were out of the way.

It was littered in the All Might paraphernalia that used to adorn the walls. Beside that, a stack of notebooks. Curious, he grabbed the first one and eyed the cover.

'Hero Analysis for the Future No 1'

He was familiar with the green haired boy's notebooks. He flipped it open to one of the first few pages. Izuku's poor handwriting scribbled almost incoherently across the pages. The page he had landed on was a hero costume idea vaguely resembling All Might. Bakugou shook his head with a smile. _Classic Deku. _He mindlessly flipped through the pages until he stopped at a folded piece of paper wedged in the spine. Eyes wide, he realized the page he had turned to was his own, his name scrawled across the top, and the endearing nickname Izuku had given him right below that. The nickname had been scratched over in pen quite a bit, but he could still read what it said.

He brushed his fingers over the scratched out name and felt the indentions. He skimmed over the words. They talked about his quirk and different ways to apply it, most of which Katsuki already knew and used. Underneath that though caused a shudder to strike through his body.

'Takedown Methods'

Next to it had been a previously written question mark, but there was newer darker writing afterward. Bullet points that struck him like actual bullets. Different quirks that his would be weak against. Ways certain quirks could be used against him. Immobilizing his hands. _Cutting his hands off. _He felt almost petrified.

Suddenly he had remembered the folded paper in his hand. He set the notebook down and carefully unfolded the paper. He knew it immediately. It was a drawing he had drawn when they were kids, before he had gotten his quirk. It wasn't a very good drawing but it depicted him and Izuku holding hands both dressed in hero costumes they had made up. Above his head were 'No 1 Hero' and above Izuku's was 'No 1 Sidekick'. Overtop the entire drawing in red marker was a large hastily drawn red 'X'.

Tears pricked at his eyes. He wiped them away quickly and stood. He refolded the paper and stuck it in his pocket. The blonde boy stared at the notebook before decidedly rolling it up and stuffing it in his back pocket before closing the box and smoothing out the bedsheets where he previously sat. He wiped his eyes once more before exiting, ready to go home.

_I was wrong. He does hate me. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay so first of all, I am so sorry for how long it has been. I have had so much going on that writing had been the last thing on my mind. I have moved and will need to move again in the next couple of months. I started a new job and am in the middle of a separation with my husband. *Sigh* But I plan on picking this up again. I swear I really hope it doesn't take me nearly four months to get out another chapter again. Thank you all for all the love and support 3**

* * *

The room was dark and slightly ominous. The stench of formaldehyde stung Izuku's eyes and nose. The weight of what exactly he was getting into all the more evident. Not to mention, the back of his mind was screaming at him, though he wasn't exactly sure why.

He recognized the man in the black mask from his time in the hospital. That was easy enough to decipher. The man (boy?) next to him was an entirely different story. His silver-blue hair almost glowed in the dim light. Hands covered his body from his torso up, one in particular covering the majority of his face. A single red eye glared through the fingers at him, as he absentmindedly scratching at his neck.

Honestly? He was creepy as fuck.

Izuku doubled down on keeping his demeanor cool and collected. This was not the time to get anxious, even with every fiber in his body and mind screaming _DANGER_ at him.

"This kid again?" The guys voice was an annoying, gravelly, whine that seemed to somehow rub the green headed teen exactly the wrong way. If he had to listen to him talk for too long, he was pretty sure his ears would start bleeding.

"Watch your tone, Tomura." There was that calm yet destructive voice. It always had a bite to it but Midoriya was sure if he was actually mad, just the malice in his voice alone could level a city block. "Believe it or not, this boy will be an asset to us. He's been studying Pro-Heroes and analyzing their quirks for years. That information alone is useful."

Izuku couldn't help but wonder how the man knew this. He hadn't said anything about his little side activities he had basically all of his coherent life. If he was thinking logically it probably would have been easy for him to collect the information. Whoever owned the warping quirk he stepped through to get here, could have done it easily.

Tomura growled under his breath. "Sensei, he's the size of a toothpick! What can this damn broccoli head even do?"

Izuku rolled his eyes. _What an insult._ He has half a mind to ask what the hell is up with this man-child throwing a tantrum in front of him, but decides it's best to stay neutral for now. Although the nicknames that come to mind are pretty great, he'll bank those for later.

Sensei's voice was level but firm as he turned to Tomura this time. "Planning. He will be essential in helping you plan, and gathering necessary information. Maybe you can even _learn a thing or two_." The last bit is dripping in frustration. "As for his physique, well, that's what we'll be working on now. Not to mention his conditioning." There was a wicked humor in his tone that sent a mental chill up Izuku's spine, making him second guess what he had gotten himself into.

The man-child's demeanor completely changed. His single, visible red eye widened and the corner of his mouth twisted up around the edges of the hand on his face and what one could only assume was a grin. "The two of you will have plenty of time to become acquainted later. For now, leave us."

"Yes, Sensei." The tone in his voice as amused as the small visible bits of his face looked. Almost instantly, the purplish gas materialized again and hand job slinked through it like a mangy alley cat before it closed in on itself.

'Sensei' slowly approached Izuku, stopping only a foot away and towering over him. "Why are you here?"

"I- I want a quirk." He answered quickly but he was doubting himself now. The ominous setting of the room now seeping into his muscles and bones. _You shouldn't be here._ Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe he shouldn't be here.

**_YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE_**

The words echoed against his skull. No. He definitely shouldn't be here. This was the point of singularity for his life now. There was no turning back the moment he stepped through the warp gate this morning.

"That cannot be the only reason, my boy, otherwise you would not have come here knowing what we are." Izuku did know. He wished he didn't.

He knew they were villains. In fact, his mind hasn't stopped screaming at him about it. Yet, he could not shy away from the fact that these 'villains' had shown him more kindness and respect, even with him lacking a quirk, than most of the people in his life. He was here because his dreams had been crushed over and over.

Because his mother had only pity and apologies to offer.

Because his father had left after his diagnosis.

Because he had been bullied relentlessly, scars littering his skin even before the fall.

Because his favorite hero told him his only dream was unrealistic.

Because his childhood friend told him he should just end his _life._

Many things led up to this. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel like a burden.

"You're right. At first that's all this was, I wanted a quirk and that was something you could offer. I figured using each other mutually would be fine." Izuku sighed pensively. "You made me realize that I could be useful, even without a quirk. Maybe not in the capacity that I had once dreamed of- but I don't think I want that anymore." He wasn't sure if that was exactly the truth but it was close enough. His heart for heroes had been broken so much that it was truthful enough. "I've now seen first hand how selfish and conceited heroes can be. Looking down on others. Crushing them in ways no _villain_ ever could." He lifted his head to face the masked man, eyes deadened. "That's why."

The man hums at this. "You're a smart boy. Maybe you'll come in handy more so than even I anticipated." He held his hand out to gesture them to walk and Izuku matched his pace. Something inside his head was buzzing at his words. Almost like pride, but there was something more underneath. Something more unsettling. They stopped outside a large black door, Sensei's hand resting on the knob. "We'll just have to see how well you take _your conditioning_." Oh does he not like the sound of that.

He opened the door to reveal a large white room. Much like the one he remembered waking up in a little over a week ago. The floor was speckled white tiles that were quite dingy but the design hid most of the stains. As the door shut behind them, it seemed to disappear into the wall, no handle in sight. Izuku froze, staring where the door should have been, his heart sinking to his feet as fear set in and his breathing became heavy. Okay, so maybe he wasn't as emotionless as he thought.

He didn't turn back around until the masked man spoke again from the opposite corner of the room. "I'm sure by now you've already guessed that we don't use your average training methods." Obviously. "And you would be correct." He placed his hand against the wall, causing the space next to it to move. One wall sliding behind another to reveal a painfully dark room. It almost felt like a soul sucking black hole. That was, until the creature stepped out.

The only thought plaguing the mop headed teen's mind at that exact moment was: _There's no way that thing is human._ But for all intents and purposes, he would be wrong. The being was massive. It had to be pushing ten feet tall, if not accounting for its hunched posture and its body of pure muscle. It stood in an ape like way, knuckles hanging right below its slightly bent knees. Its head could only slightly be considered human, except for the fact that it's brain was exposed and it had no eyelids.

The man held up a hand like a stop sign. "Alright, my boy, now try to stay alive." He flattened his hand, palm toward the ceiling and everything switched to fifth gear.

Before Izuku could even blink, the creature rushed him at inhuman speeds. It was all he could do to dive to the side, skidding across his chest as his chin smacked the tile, when a fist cracked the floor where he had been standing less than a second before. His mind raced, slowing the scene playing before him only slightly, but it was enough for him scramble to his feet before the monster turned and came at him again. "What the fuck kind of game are you playing at?!" He screamed at the man before twisting to narrowly dodge a punch to the head. Of course, he was met with no response. He weaved as much as possible but his speed was nothing in comparison to this- this thing. Soon enough, he found himself backed into a corner as it rushed him and he took the only exit strategy he could see. He waited until the last second, a ton of body mass hurling at him at unbelievable speed, and as it closed in, he took a dive between its legs. He reveled in his success for a split second to catch his breath before trying to claw his way back up to a standing position. His victory was short lived. In an instant, a massive hand wrapped around his ankle and he found himself hanging upside down, face to face with the beast intent on killing him. Their eyes locked for a split second before he was flung across the room and into the opposite wall. The back of his head hit with an audible crack, and wisps of static flooded his vision as he slid to the floor. Before he could clear his head or triumphantly get his feet underneath him, the hand grasped his face tightly enough to bruise, and lifted him to his feet. Nothing but horror filled his wide eyes as he stared between broad fingers. It ended as quickly as it started. The hand squeezed a little tighter, shoved his head to the floor and his vision went black.

* * *

Izuku woke with a snap, bolting upright causing his head to spin. Other than vertigo from his sudden upright position, he felt fine. He was in a bed much like before only this time the room was much more muted than the bright white he had become accustomed to waking up in. This almost seemed more like a bedroom.

At the foot of his bed, Tomura sat with his nose in a handheld video game. He was dressed in a black hoodie, knees pulled to his chest with his chin resting on them. The disembodied hand masking his face was gone and his red eyes glared into the screen. His blue-silver hair fell in soft waves from beneath the hood around his face. "You lasted longer than I expected you to. Whole three minutes." He didn't avert his eyes from the game in front of him. Izuku noticed the odd way in which he held it, pinkies raised.

He pinched the heart rate monitor off his finger and tossed it to the side. "Yeah? How long did you expect me to last?" His brows furrowed in frustration.

"With your physique? No more than a minute. Color me impressed. Must be used to dodging." He sounded anything but impressed and Izuku rolled his eyes. Who was this guy? He couldn't be too much older, but his attitude made him seem much younger.

"Yeah, well, when you're quirkless you tend to learn to dodge the punches thrown at you for being useless. Makes school fun." His voice was flat but dripped with sarcasm.

Tomura lightly shrugged his shoulders. "Wouldn't know anything about that. School or being quirkless."

Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes to silence another eye roll. He wasn't sure what it was about this guy, but he seemed to somehow press every last one of his buttons. He sighed and dropped his hand to his lap. How long had he been here? If it was too long, his mother would start to worry and he couldn't have that. She'd question him and he wouldn't be able to give her answers. It would be best to avoid that conversation all together. "How long have I been out?"

" 'Bout an hour."

"That's all?" He hadn't exactly meant to speak that part out loud, but old habits die hard. He had expected after something like that he would have been out much longer. At least a few hours, hell, maybe even a few days. He was pretty sure his face was smashed, and yet somehow he felt mostly fine. It went without saying (or thinking) but- _What the fuck?_

As if understanding the unasked question floating around Midoriya's head, Tomura spoke again. But not before letting out an exasperated sigh. "It's a healing quirk. Sensei managed to manipulate it into a shot form so it can be administered without the owner." He lifted one hand from the game and twisted in a circular gesture before rolling his eyes. "As long as the wound hasn't already properly healed or the person isn't dead, it works pretty effectively. Though sometimes scarring remains." Izuku started touching his face, feeling for any new scarring. Tomura sighed again and rolled his eyes, hands dropping to his sides and head lolling to his left. "You really are an insufferable brat, huh?" He stood at that and the greenette opened his mouth to retort before being interrupted by an incessant buzzing. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black cell phone, swiping at it lazily. "Look at that. Time for round two, _kiddo._"

* * *

Hisashi Midoriya felt like an idiot. He should have known that asking for a favor would cause him to give something in return. Out of all things, he never would have guessed that would be his son. They had manipulated him for years through familial ties, and now they had his son. The only thing left was his wife, and while they may not have been on the best terms, he had to put a stop to this now.

Izuku had come home everyday for the past twelve days exhausted and starving. He had been out much later than usual, even when taking into consideration he had started classes again which seemed to further drag down his concerning mood. Inko had said he was going to a gym and that it was something he needed, but his attitude was throwing her off as well. He had shut them out. Then Hisashi had caught a glimpse of the scars.

He happened to walk by his son's room while he was changing his shirt. The new scars that littered the points where each joint connected, classic signs of the dissection torture his boss was so fond of using. Hisashi may not have experienced that one first hand, One for All had his claws in him since he was a small child, but he had heard the screams and seen the aftermath. He knew they would break him, it would only be a matter of time.

He had tried to speak to the boy, but that either ended up one of two ways: being completely ignored or having a door slammed in his face. Enough was enough.

Realistically, Hisashi was pretty timid. At least, he has been after everything he'd gone through. That's most likely where Izuku had gotten his need for avoiding conflict. Inko may have seemed that way outwardly, but that woman was the most fierce person he had ever met, especially when it came to their son.

This particular conflict would be ideal for Inko to bring out her aggressive side, but that wasn't possible. He had been trying to keep her as far away from that man as possible for years and he'd be damned if he was going to throw that out the window now. No, this was something he'd have to handle on his own.

The research lab was only one of many business endeavors that man dabbled his slimy fingers in. Hiding behind the ruse of being an anonymous benefactor. Once in his office, it was easy enough to request a meeting with dear old dad, by shooting Kurogiri a text. The mist man was more of a butler to the group than anything else. A secretary and chauffeur.

Stepping through the warp gate, he was met with Ujiko Daruma's face almost directly in his. If the portal hadn't immediately disappeared behind him, he probably would have hopped right back through it. He should have been used to the man's antics by now after working with him side by side on quirk research and development but somehow he still got under Hisashi's skin. The older, plump man stared at him through his goggles for a moment before walking around to the other side of the man they called 'Sensei'.

Despite the facade he liked to put on, All For One, or Sensei, was nowhere near perfect health like he portrayed to be. His fight with All Might years ago had left permanent damage. Despite that, one would be foolish to mistake that for weakness. Currently he sat at a desk, a multitude of monitors lighting up his face (if you could really call it that). In place of where his eyes and nose should have been was an ample amount of scar tissue, the only feature left, being his mouth. IV tubes and wiring jutting out of his body in various locations.

"What is it you wanted to speak with me about, my boy?" His voice was almost chiding, but Hisashi knew this conversation would head downhill fast.

"I'm here to talk about my son." It took everything in him to keep his trembling from reaching his voice.

"Ah, yes. He is proving to be quite the fighter. A difficult one to bre-"

"I want you to let him go." He was determined. After all, this was his son.

"Excuse me?"

The tension in the room turned viscous. Shivers ripped their way up Hisashi's spine and a primal fear spread through his bones. His throat drying up as he tries repeatedly to swallow to dampen it enough to get the words to come out. "I said I want you to let my son go."

All For One's mouth twisted in disdain slightly before returning to its normal blank state as he let out a sigh. "Regrettable."

Before Hisashi could even blink, black tendrils shot from the man's fingers, twisting and tightening around the Midoriya patriarch's neck, easily lifting him over a foot off the ground.

"You would do well to mind your place, _Son._"

Hisashi clawed at the vines tightening around his throat, gasping for air. A dark red glow emitting from them in a pixel like pattern. "But... He's... your grandson!" The words were strangled like his breaths. "Make no mistake. I know exactly what the boy is to me and I intend to make sure he isn't weak like his father." As quickly as they had appeared, the tendrils retracted back into their owner, dropping Hisashi to his hands and knees as he gulped down the surrounding air. Tears stung at his eyes and made small patting sounds on the floor. "Besides, it would seem the boy inherited the family power." The small man's head whipped up to look at his father's terrifying lack of a face. All For One rose from his chair, the tubes hissing out the built up pressure as they were torn from his body, walking forward until he loomed over his son. "I think it's time I teach you a lesson."

* * *

Izuku rode the bus home in complete silence. Even his mind was quiet for once. In all honesty, he didn't really have the energy to speak even if he had wanted to. He had his limbs and other various body parts torn apart and put back together so many times that his voice was raw and horse from all of the screaming. They had also been inducing horrible nightmares to break his psyche and it was working. He jumped at most sounds, flinched when anyone tried to touch him, and he could swear he was hearing voices that weren't there. His bones ached. This is not what he had in mind when he initially agreed to this. Not to mention he hadn't heard another word about the quirk he was promised and it had been almost two weeks. He had been more than keeping up with his end of the deal, though they hadn't asked for much in regards to all the information he had on the heroes.

The ride home seemed to go much quicker than usual, probably due to him being lost in thought and dozing here and there. He had almost missed his stop. He stumbled out of the doors and started the short walk home. His shoulders were slumped as he dragged his feet. The sky was filled with yellows and pinks at the sun started to set. Once at the door, he fumbled with his keys, turning the lock and slowly opening the door. Small wisps of smoke swirled from the door and bombarded his nostrils with the smell of turpentine. As the green haired teen walked through the doors, soft sobs echoed through the hallway. He dropped his backpack by the door and inched down the hallway toward the sound.

The entire apartment was dark, save for the front door he left open behind him to air out the smoke. The light illuminated the silhouette of his father sitting on the couch, face in his hands. As he inched further down the hallway, Hisashi raised his head to his son. Izuku's feet stopped moving as he observed the state he was in. Bloodshot eyes, tears still steadily streaming from them, smoke flowing from his nose and clenched teeth. He glanced around, realizing the situation in front of him.

"Where's mom?"

Hisashi's face softened as he drew the most shaky, sad smile anyone had ever seen. He pressed his hands to his knees as he stood and wobbled over to him. He wrapped his arms around the boy's shoulders and pressed his head into his chest. The words were wet and shaky as they slipped from his lips. "She's gone, Zu."

Izuku's entire world stopped. His breath stopped as he slumped to the floor on his knees. Silent tears creeped out, slapping the floor. Everything was too much. Every quiet sound ringing in his ears, his vision blurring and every touch, from the hard wood floors to the man who was never there when he needed him, burning his skin.

At that moment Izuku stopped speaking, and stopped screaming.


End file.
